Unconventional lattice dynamics in few-layer h-BN and indium iodide crystals

Unusual quadratic dispersion of flexural vibrational mode and red-shift of Raman shift of in-plane mode with increas- ing layer-number are quite common and interesting in low-dimensional materials, but their physical origins still remain open questions. Combining ab initio density functional theory calculations with the empirical force-constant model, we study the lattice dynamics of two typical two-dimensional （2D） systems, few-layer h-BN and indium iodide （InI）. We found that the unusual quadratic dispersion of flexural mode frequency on wave vector may be comprehended based on the com- petition between atomic interactions of different neighbors. Long-range interaction plays an essential role in determining the dynamic stability of the 2D systems. The frequency red-shift of in-plane Raman-active mode from monolayer to bulk arises mainly from the reduced long-range interaction due to the increasing screening effect.

Tailoring electronic properties of two-dimensional antimonene with isoelectronic counterparts

Using ab initio density functional theory calculations, we explore the three most stable structural phases, namely, α,β, and cubic(c) phases, of two-dimensional(2D) antimonene, as well as its isoelectronic counterparts SnTe and InI. We find that the band gap increases monotonically from Sb to SnTe to InI along with an increase in ionicity, independent of the structural phases. The band gaps of this material family cover the entire visible-light energy spectrum, ranging from 0.26 eV to 3.37 eV, rendering them promising candidates for optoelectronic applications. Meanwhile, band-edge positions of these materials are explored and all three types of band alignments can be achieved through properly combining antimonene with its isoelectronic counterparts to form heterostructures. The richness in electronic properties for this isoelectronic material family sheds light on possibilities to tailor the fundamental band gap of antimonene via lateral alloying or forming vertical heterostructures.

Structural and electronic properties of transition-metal chalcogenides Mo5S4 nanowires

Transition-metal chalcogenide nanowires(TMCN) as a viable candidate for nanoscale applications have been attracting much attention for the last few decades. Starting from the rigid building block of M6 octahedra(M = transition metal),depending on the way of connection between M6 and decoration by chalcogenide atoms, multiple types of extended TMCN nanowires can be constructed based on some basic rules of backbone construction proposed here. Note that the well-known Chevrel-phase based M6X6 and M6X9(X = chalcogenide atom) nanowires, which are among our proposed structures, have been successfully synthesized by experiment and well studied. More interestingly, based on the construction principles, we predict three new structural phases(the cap, edge, and C&E phases) of Mo5S4, one of which(the edge phase) has been obtained by top-down electron beam lithography on two-dimensional MoS2, and the C&E phase is yet to be synthesized but appears more stable than the edge phase. The stability of the new phases of Mo5S4 is further substantiated by crystal orbital overlapping population(COOP), phonon dispersion relation, and thermodynamic calculation. The barrier of the structural transition between different phases of Mo5S4 shows that it is very likely to realize an conversion from the experimentally achieved structure to the most stable C&E phase. The calculated electronic structure shows an interesting band nesting between valence and conduction bands of the C&E Mo5S4 phase, suggesting that such a nanowire structure can be well suitable for optoelectronic sensor applications.